Pacific elaenia

The Pacific elaenia was originally described as Elaenia subplacens. It was moved to genus Myiopagis in the mid twentieth century and later confirmed by genetic analysis to belong there.^[3][4][5] The Pacific elaenia is monotypic.^[2]

The Pacific elaenia is about 14 cm (5.5 in) long; one male weighed 14.9 g (0.53 oz) and four females averaged 16.9 g (0.60 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a gray-brown crown with a partially concealed bright yellow stripe along its middle. They have whitish lores, a partial white eyering, a grizzled whitish lower face with blackish ends on the ear coverts, and a wide whitish supercilium that continues down behind the black of the ear coverts. Their upperparts are brownish olive. Their wings are dusky with pale yellow edges on the inner flight feathers and yellowish tips on the coverts; the last form two faint bars on the closed wing. Their tail is grayish olive. Their throat and breast are pale grayish with whiter streaks on the breast; their belly is pale yellow. Both sexes have a brown or dark brown iris, a black bill with a pinkish or dirty white base to the mandible, and black or dark gray legs and feet.^[6][7][8]

The Pacific elaenia is found in the Pacific lowlands and foothills from western Esmeraldas Province in northern Ecuador south into Peru as far as Lambayeque and southwestern Cajamarca departments. It inhabits somewhat dry to semi-humid deciduous forest, secondary forest near older forest, and tall scrub. In elevation it reaches 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in Ecuador and 1,800 m (5,900 ft) in Peru.^[6][7][8]

The IUCN has assessed the Pacific elaenia as being of Least Concern. It has a large range; its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified.^[1] It is considered uncommon to fairly common in Ecuador and fairly common in Peru.^[7][8]